ESEN Water Catchment System/en

Project data

Location	Freedom , El Salvador
Status	Idea
Years	2021
Uses	agriculture , industry

This page was created as part of the Introduction to Innovation course at the Higher School of Economics and Business in 2021. This page is already open edit , you can improve it .Read more...

Design and creation of an efficient system capable of storing rainwater that can be reused in times of drought for domestic and agricultural use. Also, seeking to promote environmental awareness in the country's communities, authorities and institutions to build a more collaborative society committed to the planet.

Description

The solution is to create a rainwater storage system capable of performing an initial flush to remove all dirt from the water. In addition to being aimed at raising environmental awareness, this idea promotes the eradication of unnecessary use of water resources, since rain can be stored and reused in domestic activities and crop irrigation during the summer. Exposing the efficiency of the system to communities and authorities and carrying out awareness campaigns will contribute to creating a more collaborative and environmentally-committed society, from rural areas to urban areas and reaching potential investors.

Problem

8.7% of the Salvadoran population still does not have access to water in the country. While some sectors that already have access to the vital liquid receive a deficient and inconsistent service. The lack of supply becomes a more serious problem, particularly in summer. Through the Rainwater Catchment System, this and other problems related to access to water are solved, since it would help people to have water in their homes to carry out different activities such as bathing, washing clothes, watering the garden, etc. In this way, the waste of rainwater will also be mitigated, since it will be stored and used later. At the same time, with this system, flooding problems in the streets are avoided, since the water that caused these disasters will now be used by people.

Innovation proposal

The idea is innovative because it is based on a disruptive concept, as it can have a great impact on users with little technological development. It represents a simple and easy solution to the water shortage in homes and generates a great environmental and economic impact on families that use a water storage system.

Furthermore, it contributes to the use of natural resources, avoiding their exploitation, and benefits people and the environment. In this way, it is contributing to the objectives of sustainable development, specifically number 6, which consists of guaranteeing the availability of water and its sustainable management and sanitation for all. Likewise, it can be used in low-income communities or places with limited access to water systems, thus obtaining water directly from the rain and contributing to the accessibility of water in homes.

It is also considered an open innovation, since it can be easily replicated and at the same time improvements can be implemented in this project, such as filters that convert the water into drinkable water and can be easily suitable for human consumption. This idea also has components of integrated value, since it is sustainable by contributing to the collection of rainwater and contributes to the ecological system. In addition, the collection of rainwater instead of the free flow of water over the land prevents its erosion over time, because there is control over the distribution of water on the land.

Literature review

A bibliographic review was carried out using similar projects that have been carried out in other contexts in order to extrapolate them to our local reality. Many of these projects have been published in Appropedia and can be reviewed on thefollowing page .

Value proposition

The rainwater harvesting system is an innovative technology suitable for promoting sustainable homes, created to operate efficiently and be pleasant to the environment. For this, it is expected that rainwater can be stored in a storage tank and then used for any activity that is not for human consumption.

Benefits (gains)

People, especially those with limited resources, will benefit in such a way that their living conditions will improve due to the healthiness generated by having water within their reach. That is, they will have the accessibility to adapt this instrument in any area of ​​their home that they wish and, as it is an automated process after installation, they will not have to worry about remembering to leave barrels outside or how unsightly it looks.

During the rainy season, those who have implemented the Water Catchment System will have this resource at their disposal. However, they can also have a water reserve for other seasons if they wish with just a small extra investment in the size of the supply barrel.

On the other hand, it is an ideal device for environmentalists and other human beings concerned about the health of our planet, since it is capable of supplying basic daily needs that can perfectly be carried out with non-potable water, such as washing dishes, the car, watering their gardens, among others. In general, it is a friendly innovation for everyone and most homes, so its benefits extend not only to high-risk communities, but to anyone who wants to save water and make the decision to be more ecological.

Discomfort (pains)

The main pains and annoyances that will be reduced by implementing this business model will be reductions in the concerns of those with unstable water service, or those who have no access to it at all. It will also be able to counteract problems that arise from wanting to keep homes clean, as the water collected in the Water Catchment System is able to help with anything that is not of a consumable nature.

It is also an investment and an improvement in your home because it has a fairly acceptable lifespan, so it is not something that you have to change every year. It is easy to learn and does not require experts for its maintenance, it is only crucial to understand its basic functions in case it breaks down at some point.

Services and activities

The ESEN rainwater harvesting system is an innovative technology suitable for promoting sustainable homes and created to function efficiently and be pleasing to the eye. This will be possible by adapting infrastructure in homes so that the gutters serve as the main conductor to access a PVC pipe that will be responsible for taking the water directly to the main tank and then going through a series of sediment and other excrement filtration processes to have clean rainwater ready for use.

In this way, we have an automatic and fast-deploying device with a long useful life. In El Salvador, where half of the year is winter, a device of this caliber, implemented on a large scale, could be the solution to many problems of health, lifestyle and comfort for the locals.

Business model canvas

The business model of this project aims to promote environmental awareness in rural areas through a rainwater collection system to store and reuse water in domestic and agricultural activities. Capitalization is provided by the sale and maintenance of the collection system, including the distribution of channels, installation of tanks and irrigation extensions. The initiative takes into consideration creating a community committed to the environment from the rural area to the urban sector. The sales channels will be both physical and digital depending on the access and training of the public, and an after-sales service for maintenance and follow-up to customers is added.

It has been considered that the most efficient way to reach the customer is through Facebook, along with other social networks. Income will be generated by the sales flow of the system and the demand for maintenance and relocation, added to sponsorships and external support. To do this, the key resources to be used will be inputs and construction material, digital reach and contacts, technical knowledge and trained labor.

Awareness activities will be carried out on the effects of rainfall on soil erosion and a model project will be launched to demonstrate the efficiency of the system to the public and investors. The project should then be promoted both through digital media and physical campaigns in areas with poor access to the network. This requires key partners such as government environmental representatives, small hardware stores and plumbers willing to group together to provide standardized services, environmental activists and engineers, and farmers' associations to promote and use the system. As for the cost structure, these are divided between materials and inputs, fees, marketing, and transportation of materials.

Budget

In developing the complete prototype, a variety of materials will be used that can be found in hardware stores in an accessible manner. It should be noted that this budget represents the costs for the large-scale project, that is, it would vary depending on the size and scale at which the rainwater catchment system is to be implemented. The cost distribution of the large-scale prototype system is shown below:

The business model does not only consist of building the system, but also ensuring that it performs its function correctly and is strategically distributed in the area where it is to be incorporated. An analysis of results with a focus group for pilot users has been included, added to professional supervision and management of efficiency tests of the model. The investment for the entire system, including the prototype and installation with professional assistance, would be as follows:

Conclusions and recommendations

In our society there is a shortage and inefficiency of services that provide water to homes and many people who work in agriculture have difficulties in irrigating their crops due to the lack of this resource. The solution to this problem is represented by the water collection system project, as it is a simple and efficient solution to generate a sustainable supply contributing to the use of natural resources.

This project allows for the emergence of a new market in El Salvador, which provides households with this collection system that allows them to obtain water for daily activities without incurring distribution costs. It is also an excellent option to guarantee access to water in communities and its availability for irrigating crops.

Although the system has high initial costs, economies of scale can be exploited by creating alliances with the main suppliers of the materials used to create the collection system and thus integrate the industry. This project allows for the creation of sustainable life options that do not harm or compromise the future of the following generations while improving the quality of life of today's society.

Final presentation

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  Rainwater Catchment System (RCS) Slideshow

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  Rainwater Catchment System (RCS) Slideshow

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  RCS Context

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  ESEN RCS Value Proposition

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  ESEN RCS Integrated Value

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  ESEN RCS Business Model:1

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  ESEN RCS Business Model:2

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  ESEN RCS Business Model:3

Multimedia presentation

File:CCAT Rainwater Catchment System.mp4

Page data

Keywords	business model , design , innovation
Authors	Kevin Aguirre , Fatima Cristales , Kevin Escalante , Paola Flores , Arlene Linares
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations	ESSENTIAL
Derivative of	CCAT rainwater catchment system
Other derivatives	AcquaTank
Language	Spanish (es)
Translations	English
Related	2 subpages , 11 pages link here
Impact	177 page views ( more )
Created	July 27, 2021 by Kevin Aguirre
Last modified	June 18, 2024 by Felipe Schenone
Quote as	Kevin Aguirre , Fátima Cristales , Kevin Escalante , Paola Flores , Arlene Linares (2021–2024). "ESEN Water Catchment System" . Appropedia . Retrieved September 26, 2024 .
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